23 December 2009

About Blighting Vacancy

Vacant properties are a national occurrence. Abandonment manifests itself through different forms, among them: owner neglect, population migration, and de-industrialization. As a result, the phenomenon produces consequences that include stressed municipalities and a deteriorating public environment. My position is that lighting can enliven and secure a vacant site throughout the different stages within its development cycle. The choice of Franklin Avenue, in the neighborhood of North Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, exemplifies a gentrifying commercial street halted by the economic downturn. In its hiatus, three vacant typologies exist: 1) vacant lots, 2) construction sites, and 3) abandoned buildings and storefronts. The application of light on blight re-examines temporal permanence and questions its future, unknown manifestation. Light embodies the potential to inform and revitalize, while activating a space for present usage.

Documentation Currently, I intend to look at the half mile stretch of Franklin Ave. between Atlantic and Eastern Parkway. The following will note the types of sites and characteristics and aid in my thesis research on lighting and vacancy. Lot information has been obtained through Property Valuations (Tax Assessments) made available on http://www.city-data.com/.

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About Me

David Del Rosario is an architectural lighting designer living in Brooklyn, New York. This blog is a result of his thesis work completed in 2010.
The choice of Franklin Avenue, in the neighborhood of North Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York, exemplifies a gentrifying commercial street halted by the economic downturn.
The application of light on blight re-examines temporal permanence and questions its future, unknown manifestation. Light embodies the potential to inform and revitalize, while activating a space for present usage.